Above, Aussie teenager Casey Heynes — the 15-year-old who body slammed his bully Richard Gale after being taunted one too many times — says Gale came “out of nowhere” and “punched me in the face,” before acting in “self-defense” by near crippling the smaller teen.
Below, 12-year-old Gale insists he’s also a victim (true), and that Heynes “abused me first.” The 40-second video clip, of course, only shows Heynes defending himself.
Asked why people have had such strong reactions to the videotaped fight, Heynes says it’s because “people get bullied all the time.” And he had “nobody” to defend him when, “practically every day,” he was bullied.
Richard says he was “pretty angry” when he attacked Casey, and acknowledges he attacked him, but claims it was Casey who bullied him; he didn’t insult Casey, he claims.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Is there anything to be learned here? Aside from, you know, bullying remains a real life problem for millions of kids around the globe? And administrators and parents more often turn a blind eye and acknowledge and work to prevent it?
[via]
Maxwell
I would be proud of my son if he reacted like that, shame he didn’t break the little kids legs. Its just a natural reaction to being hit on like that.
Jeff C
He got exactly what he deserved! Hope it happens more and more.
Jeff C
He got exactly what he deserved. Hope it happens more and more.
andy
I don’t want to judge a book by its cover but in this case Gale looks and acts like a bully as the tape shows.
NateB79
@Maxwell: You would be proud that your son slammed a kid that he is twice the size of onto his back, onto a concrete slab? I am all for standing up for yourself and fighting back when you have to, but being punched in the face is not an excuse to pick someone up and thrown them as hard as possible onto the ground. That kid could have been killed by what he did. He should not be lauded as a hero. All anyone is seeing is his reaction, not what led up to it. Not to mention the fact that he’s a sophomore in high school and he body slammed a seventh grader. To me, it’s hard to see who the actual bully is.
Mark
“You would be proud that your son slammed a kid that he is twice the size of onto his back, onto a concrete slab?”
In this contest, absolutely.
Mark
“You would be proud that your son slammed a kid that he is twice the size of onto his back, onto a concrete slab?”
In this context, absolutely.
Mark
“You would be proud that your son slammed a kid that he is twice the size of onto his back, onto a concrete slab?”
In this context? Absolutely.
Mich
He did not near cripple the younger teen. The school authorities reported that the kid had a grazed ankle.
ewe
Words are different than physical violence. Casey ROCKS!!!
Rasa
Thank you for posting these vids.
Interesting…. my response…
I’m practically weeping– remembering my own experiences with bullying. Being bullied.
It was so intensely shaming, so painful… I remember what it felt like to be spit upon, to be punched, slapped, to have my notebooks torn to pieces… to be ridiculed and laughed at.
I’m not a fan of violence… Still, I can understand Casey’s response. Also, in looking at the 2nd vid interview of Casey… I get a sense of who this person is… And it doesn’t appear to me that he went looking for this fight.
In the fight (viral) video, you can even hear a voice in the background— supporting the attacker and fully believing that it would all turn out as expected… with the fat kid in the losing corner.
Casey strikes me as a fellow who will thoughtfully move on with his life…
Intrinsically a decent fellow.
Decency…
What is that, really?
The ability to respect each other…?
sam
@Mark: You’d be proud that your much bigger son potentially killed or crippled another boy, bully or no?
Both these kids got lucky that he only got a grazed ankle. It could have ended so much worse and THAT’S why violence should never ever be encouraged or celebrated, even when it’s the bullied taking a stand.
As for who was the bully, I’m certain the larger boy’s story of years of bullying is absolutely true, and I’m sure the kid who got tossed is very likely trying to save some face by claiming he was persecuted too…. and probably exaggerating.
But we don’t know shit in this story. We’ve got one deplorable video (seriously, what sicko films this crap, however it might have ended up) that’s been sent around the world like gossip. We don’t know anything about what happened before it for sure, so I really don’t think this kid (yes, he’s a child) should be vilified and told he deserved to risk paraplegia.
The sane Francis
That small, ugly little boy is the exact type who bullies people because they are insecure. The kid was coached also in that video, so nothing he says should be taken at full belief. I don’t agree with what Casey did in attacking him, but I do agree with his intentions, which was standing up for himself. Eventually, you have to fight back if no-one else will step in, and you have to make the change to create change. With that said, these kids shouldn’t be in this position in the first place, and that’s the issue that needs to be addressed. The fact we are seeing so many kids resort to physical violence to themselves and others because they are being bullied and taunted, and little to nothing is being done to prevent this bullying and you even have many adults justifying bullying or bullying themselves, we should all realize this is a deeply ingrained problem that needs to be highlighted and diagnosed, and changes need to be implemented from the bottom up, and that starts AT THE HOMES of these bullies.
Bob
Gale is a lying piece of shit who probably comes from a long line of pieces of shit. I’m only sorry he wasn’t put it the hospital, the miserable little fuck. And Nate — fuck off, bitch.
mudgeboy
I only wish that I had had the courage that Casey showed. I just took it day after day after day after …. I feel like I’m still taking it from religious bigots, from catholics, from mormons, from so called “christian” fundamentalists who think I’m a sinner and don’t deserve to live. I say — Go Casey. Slam that kid!
Rainier
@Sam Of course, I don’t condone physical violence with physical violence, but what are you suppose to do in that situation? Take it and get hurt? If someone came at you with a knife, are you going to let them cut you? No, you disarm them.
It doesn’t matter whether the bully was smaller than him. A bully is a bully. And the victim could’ve easily have gotten hurt just as well. This sends a message to other bullies not to f–k with him as he will retaliate.
And if you paid attention to the video cam, the bully was filmed by his friends (as you see him limping to the camera and his friend asking if he’s all right). This clearly was pre-mediated by the bully already. He intended to catch the violence on tape and flaunt his toughness. Only, it turns out that the bully got schooled instead.
Michael
Man this blog covers a lot of bully stories.
Cam
@NateB79: said…
”
You would be proud that your son slammed a kid that he is twice the size of onto his back, onto a concrete slab? I am all for standing up for yourself and fighting back when you have to, but being punched in the face is not an excuse to pick someone up and thrown them as hard as possible onto the ground.
___________________________________
Are you seerious??? You sound like those prosecutors that go after a woman for stabbing her rapist because since the rapist didn’t have a knife, she shouldn’t have used one either.
Somebody punches a kid in the face, you don’t get to attack the victim for reacting.
Tommy Marx
Who do I believe? The over-sized man child who let someone keep punching him long past the point when anyone sane would have tolerated it, or the child who was rejected for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake because he was too fucking ugly to be believable.
Hmmmm, let me think about that a bit…
Mark
You can tell by how the little kid is talking and by how the parents are talking about him that hes a troubled child with behavioral issues. Hes full of shit the fat kid didnt bully him
Riker
@Cam: However, there is such thing as a proportionate response. If somebody shoves you to the ground, you can shove back, punch them, whatever. You can’t pull out a handgun and shoot them in the face. That’s excessive.
prohomo
@Tommy Marx: LOL! The bully certainly looks like a kid from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre! His eye piercing doesn’t help his image either, but Gale certainly sounded unrepentant and scripted. No remorse in his voice, but lies covering up his antagonistic attitude. He looks like he goes looking for trouble. With such people, I say gloves off!!! They got it coming to them. I don’t give a shit about their past life excuses. To all bullies,change or die already!!
prohomo
@Tommy Marx: LOL! The bully certainly looks like a kid from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre! His eye piercing doesn’t help his image either, but Richard certainly sounded unrepentant and scripted. No remorse in his voice, but lies covering up his antagonistic attitude. He looks like he goes looking for trouble. With such people, I say gloves off!!! They got it coming to them. I don’t give a shit about their past life excuses. To all bullies,change or die already!!
Geoff B
I hope this kind of thing happens more and more often. When these piles of dung we call bullies start realizing their bullshit may earn them a well deserved trip to the hospital maybe they’ll think twice.
mike ashworth
Hi, My friend, Al Peasland, is a leading self defence and personal safety expert http://www.completeselfprotection.com and was also bullied throughout his school years like Casey. He has written a number of articles and recorded a short video about the Casey Heynes bullying incident. When you ge a moment please check them out.
http://al-peasland.blogspot.com/2011/03/casey-heynes-bullied-fights-back.html
http://al-peasland.blogspot.com/2011/03/casey-heynes-bullied-fights-back-part2.html
http://al-peasland.blogspot.com/2011/03/casey-heynes-bullied-fights-back-part-3.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scirtpJkM4g
Cam
@Riker: Said…
”
However, there is such thing as a proportionate response. If somebody shoves you to the ground, you can shove back, punch them, whatever. You can’t pull out a handgun and shoot them in the face. That’s excessive.
___________________________
As you said, Proportionate response. He was physically attacked and he responded physically. Proportionate response deals with weapons etc… i.e. if somebody is attacking you with a fist, you don’t get to shoot them in the chest and get off free. But if they are attacking you and you respond weaponless also, that is considered proportionate.
Harry Baals
Go Casey!…That’s my boy!
Harry Baals
Go Casey !!!…That’s my boy!
Tuca
@NateB79: Bla, bla, bla. Shitty talk.
Derek Williams
I watched this video and I found it very moving. I think the interview is excellent, because it gives Casey a chance to speak without interruption and explain his case. He comes across very well indeed as a reasonable, articulate, basically non-violent person who simply snapped after years of being tormented by nitwits. It is extremely regrettable that he had decided not to confide in his parents about such victimisation, and sadder still that he had been contemplating suicide. This is definitely something to be taken very seriously, given the worldwide escalation in suicide by kids as young as 11, consequent upon school bullying.
While I don’t believe a word of Richard Gale’s testimony, I do believe he would also be the potential victim of bullying from elsewhere, and in the schoolyard, it’s “kill or be killed”, the same way many homophobic taunts at school come from gay kids wanting to make sure no-one suspects they’re gay. What better smokescreen could you dream up? Who’d ever suspect the biggest homophobe is actually the gayest?
After all this publicity, I’d be very surprised if anyone dared to try attacking Casey Heynes again. However, education authorities and parents need to do far more than simply sit back and applaud this child for his restraint, and his entirely appropriate response in self defence. This should never have gotten this far in the first place. Very few children are as mature as Casey at his age, and as we know only too well, armed with a weapon such as a knife or a gun, a less mature individual could have seriously injured or taken lives of other innocent students and school staff. Even a purely physical response such as this could have caused a broken back. Although Casey’s tormentor is a juvenile idiot, no-one would expect him to become a quadriplegic because of childish foolishness that he will hopefully grow out of. Many high school massacres, especially in the USA have resulted from just such a confluence of circumstances.
Derek Williams
I watched this video and I found it very moving. I think the interview is excellent, because it gives Casey a chance to speak without interruption and explain his case. He comes across very well indeed as a reasonable, articulate, basically non-violent person who simply snapped after years of being tormented by nitwits. It is extremely regrettable that he had decided not to confide in his parents about such victimisation, and sadder still that he had been contemplating suicide. This is definitely something to be taken very seriously, given the worldwide escalation in suicide by kids as young as 11, consequent upon school bullying.
While I don’t believe a word of Richard Gale’s testimony, I do believe he could also have been the potential victim of bullying from elsewhere, and in the schoolyard, it’s “kill or be killed”, the same way many homophobic taunts at school come from gay kids wanting to make sure no-one suspects they’re gay. What better smokescreen could you dream up? Who’d ever suspect the biggest homophobe is actually the gayest?
After all this publicity, I’d be very surprised if anyone dared to try attacking Casey Heynes again. However, education authorities and parents need to do far more than simply sit back and applaud this child for his restraint, and his entirely appropriate response in self defence. This should never have gotten this far in the first place. Very few children are as mature as Casey at his age, and as we know only too well, armed with a weapon such as a knife or a gun, a less mature individual could have seriously injured or taken lives of other innocent students and school staff. Even a purely physical response such as this could have caused a broken back. Although Casey’s tormentor is a juvenile idiot, no-one would expect him to become a quadriplegic because of childish foolishness that he will hopefully grow out of. Many high school massacres, especially in the USA have resulted from just such a confluence of circumstances.
Ogre Magi
Gale and his family are what is known as bogans in Australia!
Aussie Aussie
@Ogre Magi: Thats it – you can’t name your kid Ritchard (yes, with a T, thats not a typo as some have determined), have his eyebrow pierced, sporting a rats tail and those teeth without being a mega bogan.
For those who don’t quite understand the whole bogan concept see http://www.thingsboganslike.com
mudgeboy
The diversity of opinion here is interesting. There are people like myself who see the kid who is bullied by the bogan finally snapping and striking back. I feel completely gratified and elated at seeing someone finally and definitively striking back. I’m gratified because I feel that I have been bullied all of my life and I get bullied every day. Just look at some of the statements on the Queerty site that illustrate bigoted and hurtful statements by clergy, politicians and ex-gay crapheads who just hate gay people and are free to express their hatred in mean spirited and hurtful ways.
But others see the snapping and striking back as scary and disproportionate. Like when you finally snap from being bullied year after year you’re supposed to snap in a proportionate way. How can you proportionately strike back at a bogan like Gale and his kind, who walk up to a kid, grap him by the neck and punch him, point blank, right in the face. And then continue to harass him, faking a jab to the head and then hitting him in the open stomach, like Casey’s a punching bag. Gale admitted that he was angry — clearly Gale was taking his anger out on another person. It’s also clear that Gale’s claim that Casey started it is pure fiction. Yet some here would like to believe that a kid who did what Gale did, with those Manson eyes, piercing, and low life looks is telling the truth for a change.
When does it happen that a person like Gale finally gets stopped, proportionately! No, I think the people that want a proportionate response are the type who also think being gay is a choice. They want me to choose to stay in the closet so they don’t have to be confronted by someone who is different, who is gay. Why don’t you people go crawl in a closet where you don’t have to see anyone different because that’s where you belong. And you need to do it soon because the Casey’s of the world are starting to get sick and tired of hearing your veiled hatred spewed all over the air waves.
Maybe the Gales of the world are starting to get more and more scared as more gay people are coming out younger and gay people, like Anton Hysen, start acting like they’re equal to straights. Maybe they see the Casey’s of the world getting bolder and more willing to vent their frustrations on the Gales instead of keeping it locked inside year after year. When will a Casey walk up to a Westboro and slam him/her to the ground “disproportionately.”
Nic
This story has been made into a media circus in Australia with different media outlets fighting over who gets the exclusive interviews. They have made the situation 10 times worse.
I agree that Richard Gale should not have hit Casey but Casey’s reaction was just as if not more violent than Richards. He’s lucky he didn’t get seriously injured. If his head had hit the ground he could have been killed.
The school and parents need to deal with it and the media and the rest of the world should stay out of it.
andrea
Despite appearances, it is unworthy for anyone to criticize a 12 year old with such hatred. Bullies are bullies usually because they’ve been bullied by somebody else.
And please don’t spout that dribble about how Casey’s plight ‘strikes a chord’ with you. (Just so you know, it does with me too. I was a fat, flaming queen who went to an elite institution full of homophobic rich kids. I completely regret the one time I kicked someone in retaliation for making fun of my swaying hips.) Just imagine if you met your childhood tormentors today: being nasty towards them in retaliation would feel good only for a moment. It doesn’t mean that revenge is never justified; it’s just that physical violence is so crass.
As for the comments above: spouting nasty things at people you don’t know with the comfort of anonymity is not exactly exemplary behaviour, is it?
We don’t know the whole story; every story does have two sides to it. Can’t we show a little bit of sympathy for Richard Gale? If I heard correctly, it was Casey who started this fight. Of course nobody will believe Richard because Richard’s side of the story was not caught on tape.
I feel sorry for both of them, but I can’t even imagine what Richard must be going through. That, too, is not fair.
mudgeboy
Dear mike ashworth,
Thanks for the links. I watched all 3 posts and some of Al’s videos. Really helpful analysis and a very reasonable explanation. Thanks for posting.
Armand
@Michael: This blog covers a lot of bullies, sometimes exaggerated because it advances our gay community.
I would rather the authors of articles such as these refrain from injecting their emotion into the story and remain un-biased.
Oh well. Sensationalism in the form of bully stories gets every gahy riled up.
The two boys should shake hands and go to therapy for awhile to work out any problems they may have. More than likely, they will become friends.
Dekker451
@Cam:
By whom?
It seems to me that proportionate response can be equally well applied to unarmed violence. Richard Gale was repeatedly punching him in the chest. Is it a proportionate response for Casey Heynes (the articles reversed the names) to body slam Gale and risk killing or paralyzing him? And let’s not kid ourselves or each other. Ask a doctor. Ask a professional wrestler what could happen if he did that to someone in real life.
I watched both videos above. While I sympathize with Heynes and I agree that he has the right to defend himself, and I’m suspicious of Gale’s story (e.g. he says “he blocked me pretty quickly so I guess he knows how to fight”…OR he knows how to protect himself) Heynes should’ve just punched back or knocked him to the ground.
Heather
Andrea, you heard WRONGLY. You seem to be woefully uninformed and blissfully ignorant of the FACTS, as an Australian, let me correct you. It was NOT Casey that started the fight, it was Ritchard. This has been proven. Why do you think Ritchard and his mates had the video ready as soon as he started hitting Casey? It was being recorded to taunt Casey.
Casey’s action was not violent at all, in fact, were quite weak considering. He flipped him onto the ground, then walked away. He didn’t kick or hit him on the ground, which Ritchard surely would have surely done had he been the one who flipped Casey. Rather like karate (since when is karate and tai kwon do ‘violent’?), in self defence, he simply moved Ritchard out of the way. Then walked away. He didn’t fight him, he didn’t punch or kick him. He didn’t take advantage of Ritchard being down at all. Instead, he did a self-defence manoevure simply to block Ritchard’s attacks and neutralise him. Then he walked away.
Casey was so disciplined and respectful in his actions. He didn’t start the fight, he didn’t continue it. He merely NEUTRALISED the threat. And then left. He could have done a lot more than he did, but he was too gentlemanly, and perhaps lacking in self-esteem to hurt Ritchard. For those going on about how Ritchard could have had his neck broken (its unfortunate he didn’t), you can break your neck by slipping on the sidewalk. An ordinary warm-up tai qwon do move could see you break your own neck. There are risks just in living and breathing. Casey was backed and smushed into a corner. Yet he STILL didn’t fight or attack. ALL he did, was neutralise the threat by moving Ritchard away. And instead of taking advantage of Ritchard being down and getting in a few retaliatory kicks, he simply walked away. Flipping a person out of the way is respectable and commendable self-defence. It is not agression or violent. He never, NOT ONCE, hit or hurt Ritchard. He moved him out of the way, then he walked away. He showed admirable restraint and to most normal, sane thinking and moral people, IS indeed, a true hero.
fukestien
Bullies always get & deserves they pay back @ the end, their are always someone out they, that will not put up with your bullshit’s, what goes around always that comes around, don’t play with Fire , you know you will get Burn eventually – LOLL!
friday
Hope the Bullies has Learn they Lesson the Hard Way, Go Casey Go!!!!!! – That’s the only way to deal with Asshole & Bullies. LOLL!
WhatsupfromGermany
Casey is a Hero. Nothing more too say, oh i forgot: HEROOOOOOOOO!
🙂
And too Richard. What for a Bitch you are. Beat him everytime in School and now: OOOOOOOHHHHHHH NOOOOO CASEY BEAT ME; I RUN IN A TV SHOW; AND TALK BULLSHIT.
If you got Balls, go to Casey, give him the Hand, and say: SORRY FOR ALL WHAT I DID TOO YOU.
I think Casey would to accept an excuse.
But i think Richard learns nothing. And i a few weeks, he beat Casey with other Guyz.
And i warned you!!! Dont beat Casey, or we all beat you
WhatsupfromGermany
Oh i forgot something. I can understand the Father of Richard. BUT: DONT SAY; THE VIDEO SHOWS NOT ALL. And he got enough. Richard dont stops hating on Casey for Years. SO? A Week or Two is too much for Richard? Thats really Chickenstyle.
Jack
You know, Casey Haynes may not be the hero. (I am not supporting Gale), but really, you do not know WHO was the REAL bully. But if Gale is the bully for all those years, it doesn’t matter of his age or what he did JUST in this video, he deserved it.
stacy
Casey shouldnt have reacted like tht. Sure the punch was hard but he literally slammed him to the ground. It should be illegal. Both boys had a part to play and both need to understand that. Casey is being hailed as a hero and he’s going to thinks hes one for the rest of his life for doing that to a 12 year old boy. Richard knows now what he did wrong and it’s stupid not to forgive him when we ourselves make so many mistakes. Go into the mind of Richard Gale and see his life will never be the same again and no one “deserves” that